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September 2000
YorkCityhassomefamoussky-
scrapers, but there was an addition to the
skyline in 1995 when 10 balloonists flew
fromCentral Park.
“Itwasaprettyneatsight,”said
CarrollTeitsworth,one ofthecorporate
balloonists whoflew that day. “It looked
likewewouldbeheadingdowntothe
southerntipof Manhattan, butthewind
shiftedaroundtothewestandwewent
across the Hudson intoNew Jersey.”
A helicopter was intouch with local
airportsandthefirstballoonoffwasin
radio contact, but no other equipment was
needed for the flight, he said.
“Wegotclearancefromairtraffic
control, the parks department, politicians,
all gave us clearance,” Teitsworth said. “I
thought Iwould climb to altitude and head
to Connecticutsomeplace. But at the brief-
ingtheysaidwewereonlyclearedat
1,000feet andbelow.”
Fortunately, nobuildingsgot inthe
wayof their flights.
“Theinterestingthingaboutflying
there, the last couple of hours of daylight,
thewindwassquirrelly. Allthose cubic
milesofconcreteabsorbedenoughheat
that the thermalswere still going.”
BalloonflightsaroundNewYork
City and its 7 million residents are so rare,
pilots remember them whenthey do hap-
pen.
“I landed in the Bronx once about 25
yearsago,” saidBillHughes,wholives
morethananhournorthofthe city.“It
was part of the Belmont Festival on Long
Island.Anotherpilotlandedinapolice
pistolrangeandtheygavehimasum-
mons.”
Hughesandthe others had noprob-
lem withairport officialsthen. That was
longbefore theair trafficrestrictionsof
today. More recent balloon flights around
thecityhaveresultedinlicensesuspen-
andfines.
ButCentralParkcanbeanideal
place to tether a balloon. Many corporate
pilots dothat eachyear for the exposure,
but permitsmustbe obtainedinadvance
fromthe parksdepartment.
Manyyearsago,Hughessetupa
standardhot-airballoononWallStreet
for five straight days, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
advertise a bank.
“I didn’t miss a minute of it,” he said.
“We had ideal weather five days in a row,
withno rain.”
Gonorthofthecity,tosuburban
WestchesterCounty,thenewhomeof
Bill and Hillary Clinton, but it won’t be a
better place tofly.
“There’snoplacetolandoutthere
any more,” said Hughes, who started bal-
looning in 1970. “Years agoI flew down
there, but I wouldn’t any longer.”
Even though most people think ofthe
citywhentheythinkofNew York,an-
other 11 million residents live elsewhere
inthe state,inareasmore conduciveto
Thereareroughly75active
balloonists in the state, at least three des-
ignated examiners and at least four repair
stations.
Hughes preferstofly 80milesnorth
of New YorkCity, in the Hudson Valley
near Poughkeepsie.
“Therearesomeluxuriouslanding
areasaroundhere,” Hughes said.
“We’ve had some nice flights around
Kingston and Poughkeepsie, splashed and
dashedintheHudson.It’sgreatflying,
still plenty of open land.”
Numeroussuccessfulballoonfesti-
vals—oddlyfiveofthemstartingwith
‘The Great’ in their names—are held each
year,includingnearthe Adirondacksin
GlensFalls, the Syracuse area in central
NewYork,theFingerLakesregionof
western New York, and the Southern Tier
communitiesbordering Pennsylvania.
The Finger Lakes region, known for
itsneighboringvineyards,provideeasy
flyingoverfarmfields.Althoughbal-
loonists have occasionally been becalmed
overoneofthelongandnarrowlakes,
there are plenty of boaters willingtotow
them to shore.
The MercyFlightBalloonFestival,
in Canandaigua, south of Rochester, raises
moneyeachMemorialDayweekendto
helpsupportthearea’sairambulance
service.
Merch ant si nWe lls v ill ean d
Dansville, both in the Genesee River Val-
ley, holdsidewalksaleseachyear when
theballoonistscometotownforsome
scenic,andrelativelyeasyflying.
BallooningseasoninNewYorkis
oftenMaythrou ghOctober,although
flightscanbemadeinthewinter ifyou
canwaitfor a good day.
Each winter,Geoff Turner, who lives
nearJamestown,enjoysflyingoverfro-
zenChautauquaLake,about21miles
September 2000
•
Poughkeepsie •
• Rochester
• Niagara Falls
Falls•
andup to2.5mileswide.
“Becauseoflakeeffectsnows,we
have very few flyable days in the winter,
but it’s a beautiful place to fly, with roll-
inghills and lots of hayfields.”
Of course he fliesmore oftenin the
summer, andkeepsbusywithvisitorsto
Chautauqua Institute, a religious and cul-
tural resort often visited by presidents and
other dignitaries.
Ron Parigoris regularly flies on Long
Island,wherehelives.Eventhoughair
traffic iscongestedover muchoftheis-
land—about 100 miles long and 10 miles
wide at its smallest spot—he managesto
fly there.
“Togetareasonableflightonthe
island, you’ve got to pick the right takeoff
spot,” he said. “If you pick the right take-
offspot,youcouldhav espectacular
flights.”
He saidthe best part of the islandis
thenorthshoretowardstheeast,with
vineyards,agriculturalareasanddevel-
opments with undergroundutilities.
He usually flies in the mornings. “In
the afternoons, we get a lot of sea breezes.
The windsdon’tusuallydiedownuntil
after sunset.”
There are a few full-time balloonists
in the state, including Sean Quigley, who
fliespassengersoverLetchworthState
Park, a 17-mile gorge up to 600 feet deep
southof Rochester.
Balloonfestivalsusedtobe heldin
the Thousand Islands, where balloons can
still float across the St. Lawrence Seaway
intoCan adawithpermission,andin
Niagara Falls.
Yearsofpreparationwentintothe
last rally in Niagara Falls, in 1993, as the
air space over the falls had been restricted
due toa sightseeing helicopter collision.
With the OKs in hand from Canadian
and U.S. officials, as well as Customs, the
balloons flew atdaybreakover the falls,
many just a few feet above the mist. Sev-
their balloons shook,
not fromtheirknockingknees,but from
the loud roar of the falls. Because the falls
areusedtogenerateelectricity,power-
lines are everywhere.
Falls officialsdeclined to allow bal-
loonsfrom going over the falls since the
eventbecausesome pilotselectedtofly
deep into the Niagara River Gorge, which
caused a flurry of emergency calls in both
countries.
SixmillionacresinnorthernNew
York make up the Adirondack State Park.
Although several balloonists participated
inthe openingceremoniesof the Winter
Olympics in Lake Placid in February 1980,
ballooningintheAdirondacksisrare.
Somewhoflewthatdayflewforthree
minutes.Twootherswentovermoun-
tains andlandedin forests.
PhilJacksonhasaridebusinessin
GlensFalls, just southof thepark,sohe
canflyoverfarmfieldswithascenic
backdrop of mountains.
“The mountains have alwaysbeen a
strongdrawforpeople,”Jacksonsaid.
“And we get nice foliage flights here. We
canseeWhitefaceMountain,andona
pretty standard day, we can see the North-
ernCatsk illssou thofAlb an y,an d
Killington inVermont.”
Since 1973, Glens Falls has also been
home to the Adirondack Balloon Festival.
Organizer Walt Grishkotwho workedto
publicize the areacontacteda balloonist
inVermontaboutflyingthereoneau-
tumn.
“I was tryingtofind somethingoff-
season and the balloon idea was great,” he
balloons and there were
probably300-400spectators there.”
Thecommunityembracedthebal-
loonists eachyear after that—pilotmaps
remainfreeofredzones.Thefestival
once featured148 balloons, but Grishkot
limits the number now eachyear to100.
The100,000 spectators forthe event don’t
mind, he said.
Miles of taillights lead into the War-
renCountyAirport eachmorning before
balloons are even inflated.Admission and
parkingremainsfree to the public.
“It’s acommunity event and the com-
munitysupportsit,” saidGrishkot, who
raisesmoneytoholdtheeventthrough
sponsorshipsandprogram advertising.
Like most rallies in New York, spec-
tators are free to walk among the inflating
balloons.Sanctionedcompetitionsare
unheardof.Instead,commercialpilots
are eitherassigned paying passengers from
the crowd or can hawk their own, depend-
ingon the festival.
But the Adirondack rally is unique in
that it doesn’t have manyvendors. “This
way,aftertheballoonsfly,peoplego
shopping,eat,goinboats,theysupport
the local economy,” Grishkot said.“The
economic impactisin the millions.”
September 2000
Genesee Valley Balloon Association, about 100 members, pilots, crew and enthusiasts, monthly meetings typically the
thirdWednesdayof the month; landowner programs, offering savingsbondstolandownersandsupportof a college
agricultural scholarship; summer picnic, December holiday party. Annual dues are $20for a family membership, $18
for an individual, $15 for subscription only, plus a $5 one-time initiation fee. Contact: P.O. Box 15401, Rochester, NY
14615.
MercyFlight Central BalloonFestival,MemorialDayWeekend, 30 balloonsflyfive flights,Friday through Sunday
evening, for fun flights with paying passengers; craft fair, fireworks and glow, entertainment, helicopter rides. Proceeds
to benefit the area’s helicopter ambulance service. Contact: 2420 Brickyard Road, Canandaigua 14424. 716-396-0584.
Internet: www.mercyflightcentral.org
The Great HudsonValley Balloon Race, at the Dutchess County Airport in Poughkeepsie, first weekend in June, up to
40 balloons fly five flights, Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon for fun, some paid rides; also an airshow, crafts,
car shows, music and fireworks. Contact: 99Teller Ave., Beacon, NY 12508. 1-888-999-2461.
Coors Light Balloon Festival, in Jamesville, near Syracuse, second weekend in June, 35 balloons, many special shapes,
flyfive flights Fridayafternoon through Sundayafternoon, with two glows. Fun flights with some paying passengers;
music, family events, children’s stage. Contact: Jamesville Balloon Festival, P.O. Box 410, Jamesville, NY 13078. 315-
435-5252. http://www.co.onondaga.ny.us/Parks/
Bull Thistle Balloon Fest, in Norwich, July 3-5, 12 balloons fly four flights at Chenango County Fairgrounds, from the
afternoon of July 3 through the morning of July 5 in fun competition, paying passengers, as part of the Norwich Rotary
Fourth of July Family Fun Day. Contact: 18Summit St., Norwich, NY 13815. 607-334-2096.
The Great Wellsville Balloon Rally, third weekend in July, 40 balloons fly four flights, Friday afternoon through Sunday
morninginfuncompetition,includinghareandhound,ribbontieand$1,000keygrab;some payingriders;Friday
Afterglow; sidewalk sale. Contact: P.O.Box 1206, Wellsville,NY,14895.716-593-6257. http:/wellsville.balloonrally.com
Sea Serpent Balloon Festival, inPerry, last weekendinJuly, 15 balloons fly four flights in fun competition, some paid
rides; crafts, entertainment, food. Contact: Perry Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 35, Perry, NY 14530. 716-237-5040.
www.perrychamber.com
Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally Expo, near Binghamton, first full weekend in August, 40 balloons, five fun flights Friday
night through Sundaynight, some paidpassengers, Night Glow Fridaynight, fireworks; more than 100crafts, antique
car, truck and motorcycle show, children’s area, entertainment, food vendors, Spiedie (marinated meat) cooking contest.
Contact:P.O. Box 275, Westview Station, Binghamton, NY 13905. 607-761-2475. www.spiediefest.com
Sky-Jam, in Jamestown, first weekend in August, 15-20 balloons fly four flights, from Friday afternoon through Sunday
morning,funflying, some paidrides,glow Fridaynight; craftshows, music andvendors.Contact:59FranklinSt.,
Westfield, NY 14787. 716-326-7245.
The Great Orleans UniqueFlying Machine Expo and Hot Air Balloon Family Fest, nearAlbion, often early August; about
a dozen balloons fly as part ofa weekend airshow, fun flights, some paying passengers, glows. Contact: Pine Hill Airport,
4906Pine Hill Road, Albion, NY 14411. 716-589-4363. www.vintageaircraftgroup.org
Waldbaum’sBalloonandMusicFestival,inShirley,LongIsland,thirdweekendinAugust,50balloons,mostly
corporate, fly media flight Friday morning, and five flights Friday afternoon through Sunday afternoon, for $10,000 in
prize money split for thetop fivepilots; tethering, somepaid rides; major musicentertainment, 100 arts and craft vendors;
Con tact:MariePo licastro,11 40Blo omfieldAve.,Suite209 ,WestCaldwell,NJ0700 6.973 -88 2-9896 .
www.balloonfestival.com
The Great Northern Catskills Balloon Festival, in Greenville, mid-August, 20 balloons, five fun flights, Friday through
Sundayafternoon,optionalglow,paidrides;crafts,music,fireworks:Contact:Greenville Chamber ofCommerce,
11507Route 32, Greenville, NY 12083. 518-966-5050. www.greenville-ny.com/balloon.html
The Great Museum BalloonFestival, inBigFlats, near Elmira, third weekend inAugust, 15 balloons fly five flights,
FridaythroughSundaynightsforfun,payingpassengers;crafts,entertainment,tobenefittheNationalWarplane
Museum. Contact:17 AviationDrive, Horseheads, NY 14845. 607-739-8200.
New YorkState Festivalof Balloons,in Dansville, Labor Day weekend, 50-60 balloonsflysixflights,fromFriday
afternoon through Mondaymorning infun flights or fun competition for $1,000 purse; glow Thursday; more than 125
craft vendors, concerts; balloon, glider and helicopter rides sold. Contact: P.O. Box 427, Dansville, NY 14437. 716-335-
9470. www.nysfob.com
AdirondackBalloon Festival, in Glens Falls, mid- to late September, up to 100 balloons fly up to six flights, Thursday
throughSunday evenings, andSaturdayandSunday at dawn; free admissionandparking, some paying
passengers, Canadian-American Friendship Race, synchronized Moon Glowon the shores of LakeGeorge; dawn patrol.
Contact:P.O. Box 883, Glens Falls, NY 12801. 1-800-365-1050. www.adirondackballoonfest.org
